Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 679,620. Patented July 30, IBM. A. F. HILL.

ACETYLEIE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application mad Sept. 4, 1900.) (lo Iodel.) 2 Sheets-Shani l.

a/im asses. fn JGIZCO?! I0. 679,620. Patented July 30, 190i. A. F. HILL.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed. Sept. 4, 1900.) (lo Iodal.) 2 Sheets-Sheat 2.

Inventor.

wz'agzesses.

UNiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMON F. I-lILL, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 679,620, dated July30, 1901.

Application filed September A, 1900- Serial No. 28,914. (No model.)

To (bZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALMON F. HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-GasApparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene-gas apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which shall beself-regulating so far as relates to the production of a constant supplyof gas, which it does by causing the carbid to be automaticallysubjected to water only when the quantity of gas in the gasolneter isreduced below a certain amount; and my invention relates particularly tothe construction of the gasometer and generator, so that they cooperateto produce this result. It is designed to be a simple, cheap, and safeapparatus for the manufacture and storage of acetylene gas.

In the drawings herewith accompanying and making a part of thisapplication, Figure 1 is a central sectional view of my improvedapparatus with parts broken out. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the samewith portions removed; and Fig. 3 is a central sectional View, partlyinelevation, showing myinvention as applied to a series of generators.

Same letters of reference refer to like parts.

In said drawings, A represents the generating-chamber, in the top ofwhich is suspended a basket or holder B for the carbid. This basket ismade with openings at the bottom or bottom and side by being made ofslats or Wire spaced apart, so that while it supports the carbid itoffers no obstruction to the passage therethrough of water to thecarbid. The portion of the generating-chamber which supports the basketis surrounded by a looselysuspended bell C, extending down outside ofthe generating-chamber, and this may be held in place against upwardmovement by brackets or levers D, secured to the exten sion E of thegenerator-casing and the top of said bell. The chamber F between thewall of the generating-chamber and extension E is filled with wateruntil the bell C is separated from the generating-chamber by a completewater seal.

At some point outside of the generatingchamber is a gasometer, whichconsists of an outside casing or tank G and a hollow chamber H, openingupwardly therein. The tank outside of chamber II is nearly filled withWater. Adapted to float in this tank or reservoir is a gas-bell I,having a dependent plunger J, which enters chamber H and is adapted toreciprocate therein as the bell rises or falls as the quantity of gas inthe bell varies. Connecting chamber A below the carbid-holder in thegenerator and chamber H is a pipe L, giving free communication betweensaid chambers. At some point in pipe L is a water-supply pipe M, throughwhich water can be introduced. The upper end of pipe M should be abovethe level of the carbid-basket.

Chamber A of the generator is provided with means for removing theresiduum of the carbidas, for example, with an outlet-pipe N andclosing-valve O.

From bell C the gas passes through pipe P and wash-tank Q, and thencethrough pipe B into the gasometer, terminating above the water in thewater-tank. The vertical portion of pipe R extends downwardly below thehorizontal part and into a condenser S, as seen at T in Fig. 1. Thewash-tank may be filled through the open pipe U, which extends below thesurface of the water in the tank.

Leading from bell I is a distributing-pipe V. Communicating with pipe Vis a safety blow-off pipe V, extending down into the condenser S andthence again to the outside, water being admitted to the blow-off pipethrough the open end of the lower extension W. The blow-off mayterminate at any point, even outside the building. V

Secured to the top of tank G is a bracket X, carrying a dependent guideY, which projects down into the head of the chamber and helps to guidethe bell as it moves up and down.

It is found in actual use that there is a practical limit to the size ofgenerators and that a single generator for lighting a city isimpractical. Consequently it is found advisable where a large quantityof gas is desired to have a series of generators. In Fig. 3 I have shownmy invention adapted to be applied to such a series. It will be evidentthat the number of the series may be as many as is desired. They shouldbe arranged so that the carbid in each should be at differentelevations, the lower being first acted upon.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that each generator has a pipe L,corresponding with the similar pipe in Fig. 1, all uniting andcommunicating with the chamber H in the gasometer-tank.

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows: The carbid isplaced in the basket and Water introduced through pipe M until it risesin the generating-chamber and in chamber H below the basket to the levelof the carbid in the basket. Gas is generated thereby, passing up intobell O and thence through the pipe to the wash Q, and thence throughpipe B into the gasometer, raising the bell and the plunger in chamberH. The lifting of said plunger causes the level of the water in saidchamber and in the generating-chamber to fall below the carbid, andconsequently the generation of gas ceases. As soon, however, as thesupply of gas is sufficiently consumed the bell in the gasometerdescends, raising the water in the generating-chamber until it reachesthe carbid again, so that whenever there is a predetermined amount ofgas in the gasometer the generation of gas is stopped, and whenever theamount of gas in the gasometer falls below a certain amount thegeneration of gas is again started automatically. It will be evidentthat in practice the water will be constantly in contact with the carbidso long as the consumption of gas goes on. When there is a series ofgenerators, water is introduced into the pipe M until it reaches thelevel of the carbid in the first of the series of generators and theoperation is the same as herein described for the single generator.When, however, all of the carbid in the first generator is used and thesupply of gas is sufficiently lessened, the plunger descends further andraises the level of the water until it reaches the carbid in the secondgenerator, and so on throughout the entire series.

The advantages of myimproved apparatus are that it-is simple inconstruction and requires no regulation, excepting to keep thecarbid-basket supplied.

It will be evident that the details of construction can be variedgreatly from that shown in the drawingsas, for instance, the gas-holderin the generator might serve also as the gas-chamber, the pipe conveyinggas to the gasometer terminating in the basket or holder itself. It willalso be evident that any convenient blow-off or wash can be sub stitutedfor those shown in the drawings without varying the principle of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention and its use, I claim-- 1. In anacetylene-gas apparatus, a generator having a water-chamber, means forsuspending carbid in said chamber, a gas-chamber above saidwater-chamber, a gasometer consisting of a water-tank and an innerchamber therein, a water-pipe leading from the water-chamber of thegenerator to and communicating with the interior of said inner chamber,whereby the level of the Water in the generating-chamber variesaccording to the change in the level of the water in said inner chamber,a bell mounted in said tank and provided with a plunger adapted toreciprocate in said inner chamber and a gaspipe leading from saidgas-chamber in the generator to the gas-chamber in the gasometer.

2. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a generator having a water-chamber,means for suspending carbid in said water-chamber, a gaschamber abovesaid water-chamber and means for introducing water into saidwater-chamber, a gasometer having a water-tank with an inner chamberopen at the top, a gas-bell having a plunger adapted to reciprocate insaid inner chamber, means for connecting the water-chamber of thegenerator with the bottom of said inner chamber in the gasometer,whereby the level of the water in the generating-chamber variesaccording to the change in the level of the water in said inner chamber,and means for conducting gas from the gas-chamber of the generator tothe bell of the gasometer.

3. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a series of generators, each having awater-chamber below the carbid-receptacle, means for suspending carbidin said generator, the carbid in each being at different elevations anda gas-chamber above said water-chamber in combination with a gasometerhaving a watertank, an inner chamber open at the top, a gas-bell with aplunger adapted to reciprocate in said inner chamber, a common Watercommunication between the water-chamber of the generator and the innerchamber of the gasometer and means for conducting gas from thegas-generator to the bell of the gasometer.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses,this 31st day of August, 1900.

ALMON F. HILL.

Witnesses:

ELGIN O. VERRILL, NATHAN CLIFFORD.

IIO

